How can I reuse or recycle plastic pill and vitamin bottles?
We’ve had an email from Aleta asking for ideas on how to reuse or recycle plastic prescription tablet and vitamin bottles/containers.
They’re usually so sturdy – and usually childproof – that ways to reuse them would be best but can they be recycled? I can’t see a number on the bottom of any of few we have lying around here – does anyone know what type of plastic they are?
Also, does anyone know if there are any schemes to reuse bottles as medicine/prescription bottles again (after sterilising or whatever)?
(Photo by Carin)
I use them to store herbs that I buy for herbal medicine. It keeps them out of the way of my kids and helps them to treat herbs and plants with respect because they can see them ass medicines.
Use them for keeping vitamins etc on vacations, then you won’t have to take the whole bottle. Remember though, you’re not supposed to mix prescriptions in different bottles, you can be arrested/ticketed until it can be proven that all the meds are prescribed to you. At least in the states…
use them for storage of beads, small screws, etc.
we’ve been remodeling our house, you can match paint if you have old paint chips. We have labeled bottles what room the chips are from and keep the chips we’ve pulled so we don’t have to keep taking samples.
Use for anything small you need to keep dry.
use to store your earrings and other jewelry while on vacation.
since they’re child-proof they can be used to keep items you want to keep away from children.
Give them to your kids with other artsy things and see what they can create, make sure you hang it on the fridge! LOL
If you do give them to kids, you might want to make sure they’re old enough to know which bottles are toys and which ones aren’t.
might is probably the wrong word here.
I believe the PDSA (People’s Dispensary For Sick Animals) takes them to reuse for vetinary medicines.
I found the following address on line with a note that empty, clean pill bottles are collected for impoverished countries which cannot afford the cost.
AMVET POST 208
LADIES AUXILLARY
5 SOUTH STREET
HUDSON, MA 01749
ATTENTION: DEIRDRE
I second that – I know a missionary who takes them to Africa. Not sure of the contact info – we’re in WI, USA so if any wants it, let me know.
I’d like to know. I knew some missionaries who used them in Liberia years ago, but have lost contact.
hello, could i get contact info! thanks
Our churches have been collecting them, and we’d like them to be put to a good use if you know where they would be needed.
Thanks!
I would like to get more information. I want to recycle
these medicine bottles to a country that can benefit from
it’s use. Bebe
I am trying to establish a ministry at my church that would collect medicine pill containers to help the people in Africa and other developing countries.
If you have additional information as to what organizations are doing something like this.
Thank you.
i truely belive that if theese viles were to be collected by one who truely belived that they could make a differance in how full the land fills are , maybe somehow there could be a return adress at no cost or perhaps taken back to the pharmacey to hold refills .granted there would have to be some law evoked to be sure the meds are going to whom they are perscibed. any ideas would be greatley welcomed. email ideas @sexytammylee@yahoo.com. thanks lets make a differnce.
it is VIALS not VILES
Nah, she had it right; VILES
I have a number 5 on the bottom of my Walgreens bottles.
From what I understand about the “recycle” number. The number denotes the type of plastic it is manufactured from. Some types are recyclable and some are not. I am told that 1′s and 2′s are recyclable. Anything else is not. All the more to reason to reuse when you can.
It depends on the city/state you live in as to how high a recycle number is recyclable. Check with your agency to see what is and what isn’t.
“To help in identifying the materials in various plastic items, resin identification code numbers 1-6 have been assigned to six common kinds of recyclable plastic resins, with the number 7 indicating any other kind of plastic, whether recyclable or not. Standardized symbols are available incorporating each of these resin codes.”
from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Resin_identification_code&oldid=287197338
Fold plastic grocery bags very small, put them in a vial and keep in a purse or glove compartment of your car (I’m in the US so hope I’m using the right terminology) You have a bag in case of an unanticipated need, or can kneel on one if you need to change a tire (tyre?). The tight fitting lid lets you really pack them down – I can get 3 in the smallest bottle. I also put one my cloth bag when marketing in case I buy more than planned or an item is very wet/messy.
cool!
great idea!
I have used the tops for making cute little pincushions in different designs like flower pots, crowns, and the rest of the bottle can be used when labels removed for childrens games like bottle toss or roll.
I use old pill bottles to store red hots in in my husband’s lunch bucket as he is a diabetic.
I use my old med. bottles to keep granola bars and snacks in. It keeps the bars from getting crushed in my purse or backpack. We have also stored used hypo. needles in them. A family member is diabetic and this is a safe way to collect the needles for transport and disposal.
My son is diabetic and I also have the test strip’s plastic bottles. I want to recycle and donate funds and idea’s?
Use these old bottles to make christmas ordiments. My grandmother showed me how many years ago. It’s something you can do with your children as well. The perfect snowy or rainy day project.
Fill with change for tolls, snacks or phone calls. They fit easily in the car or in a backpack.
I cut a small hole in the caps and fill them with kitty kibble as a toy for my cat. I often hide several of them around the house so he can “hunt”.
LOVE the garbage bag suggestion, reminded me of those tiny plastic bonnets in tiny barbie sized purses my grandma used to get from the hairdresser. I use mine for laundry quarters, but am scouting other uses/recycle too.
Regarding mixing meds in one vial–I peel off the labels and stick on one sheet of paper, photocopy, carry in wallet, ICE. Also proof I’m prescribed I guess.
OK, right now I’m making a tiny first aid kit, a bandaid, an alcohol wipe, a capsule of vitamin e or first aid cream.
See how creative a person can get when she’s supposed to be decluttering?
One more. Ever burned one finger while you are cooking and had a terrible time keeping ice on it while you finish what you are doing? Fill small pill bottle with crushed ice, put finger in plastic wrap, wrapped finger in crushed ice pill vial, wrap base with paper towels and plastic wrap, and you have the clumsy use of your burned hand. The other day I was going crazy trying to think of something just that size…
I can’t stop. I filled a small one with aloe vera gel, labeled it “burn care” and put it in the fridge. Next burnt finger, I’ll still in the cold gel, wrap it up, and see how it goes.
Judith’s ideas gave me one to make small ice packs that would fit in a lunch pail.Just fill part way with water and freeze!
I use them to take fresh milk to work, can’t stand that uht stuff they supply!!
Also instant coffee granules for picnics.
When my daughter was small I filled some with sand/water hung them on a cord and she used them as a musical instrument!
Small pieces from childrens games can be safely stored in them.
You can screw/nail the caps to the beams on the ceiling of your garage and fill the labled containers with odds and ends for easy storage. I do this with baby food jars, but I’m sure pill bottles would work just fine.
Check out this awesome Christmas wreath made out of old prescription bottles by the wonderfully talented Ms Precarious Tomato.
http://www.precarioustomato.com/?p=130
We have been selling our pill-vial art for the past 2 years. We make lamp shades, trays, bowls, crosses, wall deco, jewelery, little tables…
If you are curious to see what we do with pill-vials, email-us personnally @ recyclons@hotmail.com and we’ll send you pics.
Marie.
Don’t know if this will work with the newer bottles, but about 35 years ago I used to put them one at a time on an aluminum pie pan in the oven and melt them flat. Then used a heated in a candle flame needle to poke a hole. Then made wind chimes with them. The bottles then seemed to be harder, but it might still work. Keep the room ventilated in case of fumes.
I make costume jewelry and my younger brother loves playing with the beads, so I use the containers with the childproof lids to store my beads. They are the perfect size and store so well, and since they’re clear I can more or less know at a glance which beads they are as long as i write the color on the outside.
I use these bottles for my coin collection. There are bottle sizes for almost every coin size from dimes to half dollars.
I also take bottles I don’t need and give them to my local veterinarian office as they can always use them.
I use them for many things. Mainly sweets, pins & earrings :)
Some great ideas in this thread! I’ve always been stumped, as the bottles I have are all brown, and some are big round ones, other are smaller with flat sides.
I store all my beads in clear containers as I need to be able to easily see them, so that’s out, but I love the pet toy idea (buying those is expensive, and the lid would make them so much easier to refill) and mini icepack etc!
I think if I had the small tub/vial shaped ones I could come up with a lot more uses!
Pill bottles are great to store nails, screws, bolts, etc. You can glue one to the cap if you have opaque bottles. Years ago, I knew someone who glued a bunch of caps to a board and the underside of a work bench to store the screws, washers, etc. Just screw bottle back onto the cap. Could do the same with spices.
I use the large cylindrical ones to keep my lip sticks in. I can fit 6 or 7 – perfect. (my lipstics are long and cylindrical, not the short fat ones, though I suppose that could work w/dlifferent size pill bottle.
I use them also for change in my car. Can never get my fat fingers into the recess the car mfger alots for change.
I read somewhere you can boil them to sterilize, take the cap off, fill with your favorite juice (or juice w/fruit) to freeze as popsicles. Place 2 rubber-bands in a cross and slide in a popcicle stick. Allow to freeze and…yum! I’m going to try it this summer with lo-cal stuff.
I’m an artist also, so they are invaluable for keeping colored pencils, markers, paperclips, etc. Am currently researching how to make a chandelier with them, as when lit, they give off the most beautiful amber light.
Also, PLEASE don’t ask your pharmacist for brand new ones to use. That’s the whole point of this, to reuse. Tell him you would like some,and he might be able to make it aware to his patrons. Thanks, and LOVE all your ideas!!!
I have an impossible, hopeless dream that I don’t think will ever come true, but I can’t help wishing and hoping for it nevertheless……..
We’ve got millions and millions, maybe over a billion of these empty pill
bottles and they are STRONG, with a secure lid, and the sensible thing
to do is discover a sustainable way to repurpose the used ones. My dream is that every smoker decides to carry one and use it to store their cigg butts in it untill they can get to a proper trash can. Maybe one forrest fire will be prevented. Maybe the beach won’t look like a giant ash tray. Maybe someday people will realize that their momma is not following them around everywhere to pick up their trail of litter. Maybe someday people will realize that nature is beautiful and the planet is not just one big trash can. Maybe “taking responsibility for one’s own actions” will feel natural and be automatic. Dream on……
Einstein once said: “Only two things are infinite; the Universe, and
Mankind’s stupidity……and I’m not real sure about the former”.
Brilliant idea! It hurts to see these cigg butts everywhere when I’m on my walks, on the beach, trails, anywhere, actually! I pick up what I can, but yeah, “taking responsibility for one’s own actions” would go a long way in cleaning up this planet. Baby steps!
I just posted a question to the CVS Pharmacy website challenging them to come up with a way we can re-use the plastic pill bottles for refills! I asked if they would consider putting refills in small paper envelopes that can be recycled and allow the consumer to place the pills from the envelope into the pill bottle. I’m hoping for a good response!! My husband and I have come to a stopping point regarding keeping them; I think we have enough to fill our large basement. I’ve most recently been forced to throw them away!
I have seen thew mose amaging rattles / music rhythm makers made by a west African man. He first puts in one or several beans, or corn, or pebbles…each will sound different….you could get a whole classroom to make these.
Next, using diluted watered down glue he paper maches over the entire pill bottle with colored tissue paper. I would imaged the leftover holiday wrapping papers or newspaper could be used also, but tissue paper is thin and works easily.
Then, when its dry, he takes a sharpie marker, or paint and decorated the outer surface with designs. They are absolutely awesome. They sound awesome. I was lucky to be in an art gallery opening night, when his band of drummers and shakers played these artful objects. A child or an adult would have a blast making and shaking these.